Pete Smith

Known for ActingBorn 1892-09-04Died 1979-01-12New York City, New York, USA

Born Peter Schmidt in New York City, Pete Smith got a job after graduating business college with The Player magazine and later with Billboard magazine. That led to his being hired as a publicist for Famous Players-Lasky and Artcraft Pictures, and he was later appointed publicity director at Paramount Pictures. Director Marshall Neilan hired Smith to be the publicist for his own production company, and Smith left New York for Hollywood. After Neilan's company closed, Smith freelanced for a short period before being hired by MGM in 1925 as the head of its publicity department, a position he held until 1930. The job that really brought him recognition, however, was his producing, writing and narrating a series of shorts known as "Pete Smith Specialties" for MGM. The one-reelers covered just about every subject imaginable, from the animal world to the latest technology to how to handle annoying patrons in movie theaters, all delivered with Smith's trademark wry, bemused narration. Many of the later shorts were written and directed by actor Dave O'Brien, using the name David Barclay. Sixteen entries in the series were nominated for Oscars, and two of them won. The series came to an end in 1954, though there were enough made to continue releasing into 1955. Smith's later years were plagued by bad health, and he spent more and more time being hospitalized. In 1979, with his health deteriorating rapidly, he committed suicide by jumping out of the window of his ninth-floor hospital room. He was 86 years old.Read more

Movies & web series

Curious Contests

I Love My Husband, But!

Stuffie

Double Diving

Set 'em Up

Football Thrills of 1937

Olympic Events

Out for Fun

Sports Oddities

Surfboard Rhythm

Fala at Hyde Park

Badminton

Water Wisdom

Spots Before Your Eyes

Please Answer (I.Q. #3)

Grid Rules

Dexterity

Hurling

Water Bugs

Wedding Bills

Take a Cue

Those Good Old Days

Super Cue Men

Athletiquiz: What's Your I.Q.? No. 12

Football Thrills No. 10

Third Dimensional Murder

'What's Your 'I.Q.'?': Number Two

Hot on Ice

Penny's Party

Man's Greatest Friend

Penny's Picnic

Equestrian Acrobats

Inflation

Diamond Demon

The Fall Guy

MGM Parade

Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story

Fishing Feats

Let's Cogitate

Acro-Batty

Three on a Rope

Candid Cameramaniacs

Things We Can Do Without

Trained Hoofs

Goofy Movies Number Five

Throttle Pushers

The Domineering Male

Radio Hams